The superintendents of some of Oregon’s largest school districts are joining forces, calling out a proposed federal budget they say would slash K-12 education funding in Oregon and harm children.

On Wednesday, seven superintendents issued a joint video statement, warning that budget cuts at the federal level are already hurting Oregon families, and could get much worse.

“As school superintendents, we know our communities well,” said Beaverton School District Superintendent Dr. Gustavo Balderas. “They are humane, loving and dedicated to the wellness of children and families. But our commitment to those families is at odds with the realities of the current political climate in America.”

The superintendents — who lead schools in Beaverton, Bend, Eugene, Hillsboro, Portland, Salem and Tigard — said federal policy changes under the second Trump administration are straining school systems and unraveling decades of support for the state’s most vulnerable children.

Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has canceled or frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in support for schools across the country, including funding for education research, clean-energy projects like electric school buses and planned spending from pandemic relief aid.

“These funds come from taxes paid by Oregonians, and they pay for services for students with disabilities, teaching and learning in some of our neediest schools and breakfast and lunch for students who otherwise may not eat,” said Eugene School District Interim Superintendent Colt Gill.

Dr. Steve Cook, superintendent of Bend-La Pine Schools, said more than $100 million in federal funding that previously supported vulnerable families has disappeared.

“This creates even greater gaps in access to their basic health care,” Cook said.

But proposals for the next federal budget currently being discussed in Washington, D.C. go further, including the elimination of Head Start, the early childhood education program.

Salem-Keizer Public Schools Superintendent Andrea Castañeda said closing Head Start programs would threaten thousands of Oregon families.

“If they are eliminated, about 12,000 Oregon children and their families will lose access to medical screening, oral care and, most importantly, the early childhood education they deserve,” she said.

At the same time, the administration has moved to block funding from states that do not comply with executive orders banning transgender girls from sports, and has pressured districts to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and COVID-19 vaccination policies. Some school districts in Oregon, including Beaverton, Eugene and others, have called out such tactics as attempts to “bully” districts into compliance.

The superintendents said they are sounding the alarm in order to unite Oregonians around a shared commitment to kids, regardless of politics.

“In a time when conversations feel too political to touch, we can still find common ground on one simple truth: We’re a community that cares about our kids and families,” said Tigard-Tualatin Superintendent Dr. Iton Udosenata. “Speaking up doesn’t have to be polarizing — it can be a simple act of care.”

Travis Reiman, superintendent of Hillsboro School District, called on residents to take action, and urge lawmakers to preserve school funding.

“We don’t need to agree on everything in order to stand together to protect Oregon’s children,” he said. “Each of us needs to decide whether we’ll step forward into it, or miss the opportunity to follow our calling.”

While some popular federal programs like Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act have long enjoyed bipartisan support, early signs suggest a shift. Project 2025, the conservative policy roadmap the administration has followed closely, calls for phasing out or consolidating many school funding streams.

And while legal and administrative challenges may delay some actions, Oregon’s top educators say the impact is already clear.

“Harm to children and families is not just pending, it is happening,” said Castañeda, the Salem-Keizer superintendent. “And it could get significantly worse.”

Watch the superintendent’s video below: